#whobtsfear

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of Fear Her - Part Seven 

Excerpt from David Darlington's interview with writer Matthew Graham for Doctor Who Magazine:

David Darlington [with a question about Life on Mars, which Matthew Graham co-created]: Sam Tyler. Rose Tyler. Coincidence... or something more sinister? Matthew Graham: Oh, God. [Sighs]. Originally Sam was called "Williams". And with respect to all the Williamses out there, it's a pretty boring name for your hero. And we were about to start filming when Kudos phoned up and said "We've just suddenly thought – 'Gene Hunt' is great, it's an iconic name. 'Sam Williams' just doesn't feel very punchy.". So I came up with a list of names and they didn't like any of them. So I said to Daisy, my daughter, what could his second name be? Not realising that Daisy had just watched Doctor Who on video... and she said "Tyler". Great! Tyler! Phoned up Kudos and they agreed. 'Sam Tyler'. Brilliant. And then I went back to Daisy and said "Where did you get that name from?" "Oh – Rose is called Rose Tyler...". Aaaargh! Everyone's going to think that we haven't got an original idea! So, er, yes. He is named after Rose Tyler. David Darlington: I really wasn't expecting a 'yes' to that question! Matthew Graham: No, you weren't, were you? But it wasn't coincidence – it was my daughter's fault! David Darlington: So that was her input to the show – given that your son gave Sam his first name...? Matthew Graham: I did have Sam's name in my Doctor Who episode, as well, and ruthless Russell has cut it out! He said, "I think we could lose this character of Sam Graham"... David Darlington: Aww... Matthew Graham: But Sam has been up and had his photo taken with David. It was the sweetest thing – he stood next to me in awe until David walked over. "Hello! I'm the Doctor! Nice to meet you!". And it was just wonderful to see it... David Darlington: Did he put his 'Doctor Who' voice on for it? Matthew Graham: He did! He put his 'Doctor Who' voice on and when I asked if there was any chance of a photo with him and Sam, he said "Yeah – I'll get my costume back on!" He'd just been in a puffer jacket, and he put his long coat on and put his arm round Sam. Sam couldn't believe it. David is just the nicest man in the world...

Other parts of this set: [ one ] [ two ] [ three ] [ four ] [ five ] [ six ] [ List of all Doctor Who Behind the Scenes photosets ]

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of Fear Her - Part Six 

Excerpt from David Darlington's interview with writer Matthew Graham for Doctor Who Magazine:

David Darlington: Talking of the Doctor – how early in the process did you become involved? Were you, at any stage, writing for the ninth Doctor rather than the tenth?

Matthew Graham: No, it was always... when I started, I don't think David Tennant was officially attached. It was the worst kept secret in television, everyone knew about it, but no-one was officially acknowledging it. And there were rumours going round about Alan Davies, Stephen Fry, Bill Nighy, Richard E. Grant – but everyone knew it was going to be David Tennant. So right from the start I was writing with David in mind, and fairly soon after that it was confirmed. And that made it so much easier – watching Casanova, you just thought "Yeah, yeah, yeah! This is going to be great!" He is so good... and of course he's a fan, as well. He grew up with Doctor Who. I was talking to him the other day, and he said "When I was a kid I used to play at Doctor Who – I used to play at being the Doctor and now I am the Doctor!". What are the chances? That's another reason why I enjoyed the process – how could you possibly want to sully this experience? Why would I ever want to look back and think, "Doctor Who – that was the programme where I had all the rows with people"? The only thing I did, was when I started I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to do it and that Russell would have to rewrite it. And I didn't know how I would handle that, and I was very concerned. I was so concerned I phoned Russell and said "I'm really worried I'm going to mess this up, and you're not going to be able to tell me how I'm messing up, and you're going to have to rewrite it." And he was great - he said, "It's not going to happen on this show because you love it and you're coming at it with enthusiasm - that's the best weapon you've got." And he was right, because it was never a painful process...

Other parts of this set: [ one ] [ two ] [ three ] [ four ] [ five ] [ List of all Doctor Who Behind the Scenes photosets ]

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of Fear Her - Part Five 

Excerpt from Jason Arnopp’s behind-the-scenes article from DWM #372

“Awww... the Isolus just wants a hug, doesn’t it?” laughs Matthew Graham [writer]. “It’s a preoccupation on Series Two to talk about the Doctor’s loneliness, but it’s something we all find a bit fascinating. I was really happy to do something that started really scary, but ended up being about an alien who’s basically having an intergalactic hissy-fit!”

He adds that the episode’s title is, “deliberately set up to make you think that the Doctor will have a terrible female nemesis. Of course, he’s actually going to help a tiny space-flower go back to its brothers and sisters. Which is all rather sweet and adorable!”

“The Isolus’ loneliness was all Matthew’s idea,” Russell T. Davies [showrunner] praises. “And it converged beautifully into the theme that runs throughout the second half of the series - the Doctor and Rose alone, no Adam, Jack, or Mickey, so we can really examine how much they need each other on these extraordinary journeys.  Matthew keyed into the whole theme of the show, without even being asked!”

Other parts of this set: [ one ] [ two ] [ three ] [ four ] [ List of all Doctor Who Behind the Scenes photosets ]

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of Fear Her - Part Four 

From the DVD Commentary with Julie Gardner [executive producer] and Matthew Graham [writer]

Julie Gardner: Don’t keep me in suspense, tell me about the “used to be a dad” line.

Matthew Graham: Well, that was a Russell [T. Davies] suggestion, because the scene as-written was about the Doctor describing Chloe, or the Isolus that had taken Chloe over, as being like a spoiled child that just needed to be loved and looked after and sent on its way.  Rose, quite rightly - I imagine Rose comes from a reasonably big extended family or at least has hung around lots of kids over the years on the estate, and she’s got no time for it. She says to him, well, kids are spoiled and they shouldn’t be spoiled, and you’ve got to be firm with them. Russell said the Doctor should suddenly say, “hang on, I was a dad once,” and I gasped when he suggested that.

JG: It was an extraordinary moment in the script, and it was an extraordinary moment when we saw the first fine cut, because even though we understand the logic of it from how Doctor Who first started in 1963, it’s an extraordinary moment for Rose.

MG: It was

JG: Then it just moves on very quickly after that.

MG: Her reaction to it is more shocking than his revelation, actually

JG: Yes

MG: Because she reacts with genuine... because there’s always been that whiff of romantic frisson between them, the moment that he says that there’s so many things going through her mind. It’s another reason why, you know, Billie Piper is just an extraordinary actress. She manages to look hurt, frightened, confused, all in one... jilted, jealous... all in sort of one moment.

Other parts of this set: [ one ] [ two ] [ three ] [ five ]  [ List of all Doctor Who Behind the Scenes photosets ]

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of Fear Her - Part Two

From the DVD Commentary with Julie Gardner [executive producer] and Matthew Graham [writer]

Julie Gardner: I love this finger-in-jam moment.  I remember seeing it on the rushes and just loving it.

Matthew Graham: Well that’s how it goes with this show.  One minute the Doctor is saying, “There’s a terrible evil in your house and I’m here to help,” and the next minute he’s eating your jam, and being ticked off for it.

JG: I remember at one point, in one draft of the script, there was a big discussion about whether we should see the Doctor and Rose asleep overnight, because they are trapped in this house.  And I was very, very keen on that because that’s something we’ve never seen before, and I think Russell and you both said, “Actually, no - we’ve got to keep the energy going, and given what’s happening he’s never going to be off-guard.”

MG: Do you know what, it would have been a really nice scene. The thing is, we probably would have cut it out at this stage

JG: Because you’d want to keep moving.  Absolutely.  Oh, all these nice ideas that never make it in.

Other parts of this photoset: [one] [three] [four] [five] [ List of all Doctor Who Behind the Scenes photosets ]

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of Fear Her - Part One

Excerpt from Jason Arnopp’s behind-the-scenes article from DWM #372

When DWM arrives on this chilly January morn, that lazybones David Tennant has already completed his one-and-only scheduled scene. The rest of today’s filming all features Rose Tyler.

Preparations are made for the scene in which Rose attacks Chloe’s bedroom door with a pickaxe.  It’s Fear Her’s homage to Stanley Kubrick’s classic 1980 fright-fest The Shining.

“How many doors do we have?” asks Billie, naturally nervous about the prospect of messing up this scene. Two, comes the answer. “Oh, I reckon we’ll be done in two,” she breezes, suddenly more confident.

Billie takes the pickaxe and steels herself.

“Just enjoy it,” winks Nina Sosanya, playing Trish in this scene. “I’ll cover you!”

“Yeah,” grins Billie, “Then you can do a drop-roll!”

Billie’s first take earns applause. She’s even more accurate on take two.

“How exciting was that?” says Nina.

“Very!” laughs Billie. “I loved it. I’m not going to play it down: it was great!”

Other parts of this photoset: [two] [three] [four] [five] [ All of my Doctor Who Behind the Scenes photosets ]